TITLE
Recommendation to, by motion of the City Council, proclaim Tuesday, April 16, 2013, as "National Library Workers Day" and encourage all in this community to take advantage of the variety of library resources available and to thank library workers for their exceptional contributions to American life.
DISCUSSION
In Long Beach, we are fortunate to have public, academic, school, governmental, and specialized libraries providing excellent and invaluable service to library users regardless of age, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background. Our libraries provide thousands of people with the knowledge and information they need to live, learn and work in the 21 st Century. Librarians and library support staff bring our city a world of knowledge in person and online, as well as personal service and expert assistance in finding what is needed when it is needed.
It is important to recognize the unique contributions of all library workers and the value to individuals and society of those contributions. Librarians and other library workers are important participants in public policy discussions on key issues, such as intellectual freedom, equity of access, and narrowing the digital divide. Libraries, library workers, and library supporters across America are celebrating Tuesday, April 16, 2013 as National Library Workers Day sponsored by the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA). National Library Workers Day is a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.
In addition to proclaiming April 16, 2013 as National Library Workers Day, the City Council should encourage residents to participate in acknowledging our librarians and staff by nominating "star" library employees for public recognition on the National Library Workers Day website. Anyone may nominate a "Star" library worker or team for creativity, enthusiasm, customer service or that special something they add to a library.
Stars can be nominated by going on line to New nominations
will be showcased in the Galaxy of Stars on the NLWD website each week.
We need to encourage everyone to take a moment on Tuesday, April 16, 2013 to thank our library workers for the services they provide and to remind ourselves that libraries provide vital services each and every day. Libraries in Long Beach work because library workers do!
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
GERRIE SCHIPSKE
COUNCILWOMAN, FIFTH DISTRICT